Kqeds Forum

During the pandemic, experts seemed to have plans on how to open up bars, malls, and airports, but no real idea about how to open schools consistently across the country and how to put children’s needs first. In her new book “The Stolen Year,” education reporter Anya Kamenetz offers a thorough autopsy of how Covid unfolded for kids. Beginning with the early days of the pandemic, Kamenetz examines how the intense pressure Covid put on schools exposed the inequities woven into the fabric of American life, including the impact of racism, childhood poverty and hunger, inadequate childcare, and dysfunctional politics, among other issues. We’ll talk with Kamenetz about what went well, what went wrong, and where to go next. Guests: Anya Kamenetz, education reporter and author, "The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children's Lives, and Where We Go Now," "The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life" and "The Test: How to Survive Our National Obsession with Standardized Testing."

People often like to introduce novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah as a writer who tackles the traumas and aftereffects of colonialism, especially in East Africa. But in accepting the Nobel Prize for literature last year, he made space for the fullness of all lives, not least those living in traumatic places. “Writing cannot be just about battling and polemics, however invigorating and comforting that can be,” he said. “Writing is not about one thing, not about this issue or that, or this concern or another, and since its concern is human life in one way or another, sooner or later cruelty and love and weakness become its subject.” We’ll talk to Gurnah about his gorgeous novel "After Lives" which is being published in the U.S. this month. Guests: Abdulrazak Gurnah, novelist and author, "After Lives" - winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature

Brittney Griner, the WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, remains detained in Russia after a court there sentenced her earlier this month to nine years in prison for carrying a small amount of hashish oil into the country. Her conviction and sentence came after a month-long trial widely denounced as a sham designed to give Russia political leverage over the United States. Griner’s case, painful in its injustice, is not unique: foreign governments are unlawfully holding dozens of Americans, and government hostage-taking is on the rise. We’ll talk about the impacts on families of political prisoners and what it may take to bring Griner and other Americans home. Guests: Jason Rezaian, global opinions writer, The Washington Post; author, "Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison–Solitary Confinement, a Sham Trial, High-Stakes Diplomacy, and the Extraordinary Efforts It Took to Get Me Out" Danielle Gilbert, Rosenwald fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy & International Security, Dartmouth College Kierra Johnso

When the first coffee shop or food truck rolls into a neighborhood, many locals have come to fear what might be coming next: rising housing prices and displacement. Restaurants, farmers markets and coffee shops are often a harbinger of gentrification. Some restaurateurs, and the food critics that send customers their way, have been grappling with the role they play in disrupting longstanding communities, and what they can do to create a positive presence in a community. As part of our regular series, All You Can Eat, with KQED food editor Luke Tsai, we’ll talk with food critics and food professionals about gentrification, food and community. Guests: Cesar Hernandez, associate restaurant critic, San Francisco Chronicle Luke Tsai, food editor, KQED Mona Holmes, reporter, Eater Los Angeles Reem Assil, chef, Reem's California; author, "Arabiyya: Recipes From the Life of An Arab in Diaspora" Jay Foster, chef, restauranteur and marketplace general manager, La Cocina - non profit that helps immigrant women formalize

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who guided the U.S. through the AIDS and Covid-19 pandemics, announced on Monday that he’s stepping down in December as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and as chief medical advisor to President Biden. Meanwhile, CDC chief Rochelle Walensky has announced plans to overhaul the agency, telling staff in an internal video last week that it's "responsible for some pretty dramatic, pretty public mistakes" in its handling of Covid-19. We talk to UCSF's Dr. Bob Wachter about both events and hear your reflections. Guests: Dr. Robert "Bob" Wachter, professor and chair of the Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco Michael Specter, staff writer, The New Yorker; author of "Fauci"

California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill on Monday that would have allowed San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles to test out supervised drug use centers. New York City is home to two such centers that are operated and funded by nonprofits. Advocates say those centers have saved dozens of lives of people who otherwise may have overdosed on city streets while critics say they encourage drug addiction. We’ll discuss whether advocates will keep pushing for safe injection sites in California and how effectively those centers have functioned in other places. Guests: Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown show Heather Knight, columnist, San Francisco Chronicle Caroline Lewis, health reporter, WNYC/New York Public Radio Stephanie Nolen, global health reporter, New York Times

It may seem a bit strange to be talking about [the] rising risk of a California megaflood amidst severe drought. But it’s not as paradoxical as it might seem,” tweeted Daniel Swain, co-lead author of the recently published study in the journal Science Advances, “Climate change is increasing the risk of a California megaflood.” Megastorms fueled by atmospheric rivers could bring more than 16 inches of rainfall across the state in one month. More rain than snow could fall in the Sierra Nevada, leading to extreme runoff. That’s according to the study’s climate models, which estimate that California’s current annual risk of a megaflood is 1 in 50 — with human-caused climate change projected to increase that risk over time. We’ll talk to the scientists behind the report about their findings and how California should respond. Related link(s): “The Coming California Megastorm,” The New York Times Guests: Daniel Swain, climate scientist, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA and The Nature Conservan

As a queer young poet in San Francisco’s underground literary scene, Michelle Tea writes that she thought of pregnancy “the same way I thought of any STD, but with a dose of the movie Alien." But soon after turning 40 she decided to give it a go, seeking a “less traditional, queer, and community-centric mode of making a family” In her new memoir "Knocking Myself Up," the acclaimed author writes about the ups and downs of that journey. She joins us to talk about the book and and the world of LGBTQ pregnancy and parenting. Guests: Michelle Tea, author and poet, her latest book is "Knocking Myself Up: A Memoir of My (In)Fertility."

“Separating children was not just a side effect, but the intent,” writes The Atlantic’s Caitlin Dickerson in her recent investigation of the Trump Administration’s Zero Tolerance policy. Border agents separated more than 5000 migrant children from their families under Zero Tolerance, even as policymakers had no plans in place to adequately shelter, care for or even keep track of the surge in children they knew would fall into U.S. custody. We talk to Dickerson about her 18-month look at the origins of the U.S.’s forced separation policy and the bureaucratic machinery that enabled it. Guests: Caitlin Dickerson, staff writer, The Atlantic - author of the investigation "The Secret History of Family Separation."

Kaiser Permanente mental health workers across Northern California went on strike this week, calling for an increase in staffing. They say that crushing workloads are causing delays in care and endangering patients. Kaiser says it is the strike that is hurting patients, and points to a nationwide shortage of clinicians. In this hour of Forum we’ll get the latest on the negotiations and the growing demand for mental health services. (If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the 988 suicide hotline. For Kaiser members seeking help accessing care, the California Department of Managed Care Help Center is available at 1-888-466-2219 or www.HealthHelp.ca.gov. If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, dial 9-1-1 or go to the nearest hospital.)  Guests: Jocelyn Wiener, Health and Mental Health reporter, CalMatters Ilana Marcucci-Morris, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Kaiser Naomi Johnson, Associate Clinical Social Worker, Kaiser Scott Wiener, California state senator, representing San Francisco

“The mall is personal,” writes design critic Alexandra Lange in her latest book “Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall.” For denizens of the suburbs, the mall is the place where people got their first jobs, got their first taste of independence goofing around with middle school friends, or bought their first hot dog on a stick. And while often derided by design critics, the mall in its heyday has been immortalized in movies like “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Clueless,” “Mean Girls,” and more recently “Stranger Things.” With the rise in the online economy, many have heralded the demise of these temples of commerce but malls continue to reinvent themselves. We’ll talk about the cultural and design history of malls and hear from you about your favorite mall memory. Guests: Alexandra Lange, author, “Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall”; design critic; columnist, Bloomberg CityLab

The pandemic has hit the East Bay’s Latino immigrant community disproportionately hard. And to make matters worse, many were unable to access services that were available - things like rent relief, food aid, and help with utility bills. A recent El Tímpano report, produced in collaboration with Latino USA, looks at the consequences of these obstacles as well as community solutions. We’ll discuss the report, the role of language barriers and touch on some of the unique challenges faced by Maya Guatemalans in the East Bay who speak an indigenous language called Mam. Guests: Tania Quintana, program coordinator, Education Super Highway; community organizer, researcher and writer. Madeleine Bair, journalist and founder of El Tímpano. Linda Roman, program specialist, Tech Exchange.

Correction: This episode mentions a video of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sean Hannity that does not exist; the video was manipulated. We apologize for not catching the error on air. The now-unsealed warrant authorizing the search of Donald Trump’s residence last week indicates the FBI is investigating the former president for possible violations of three laws, including the Espionage Act. Eleven sets of classified documents, some of which were marked top-secret, were recovered by the FBI at Mar-a-Lago. We’ll talk about what we can expect next from the Justice Department, recap the defenses and claims made so far by the former president and his team, and analyze how this could play out politically. Guests: Andrew Weissmann, professor of Practice with the Center on the Administration of Criminal Law, New York University School of Law - former federal prosecutor and general counsel to the FBI Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; Co-host of KQED's Political Breakdown show

In 1969, a group of students, activists and community members in Berkeley transformed a muddy abandoned parking lot into a park. They called it People's Park and ever since, the space has served as a hub for political organizing, culture and community. But throughout its 53 year history, there have been ongoing disputes over the land between the park community and the park’s owner, UC Berkeley. Now, the university has big plans to build housing on the site, which has led to recent clashes between protesters and police. We’ll hear from the UC and opponents of the plan, and we ask our listeners: what should the future of the park look like?  Guests: Dan Mogulof, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs, University of California, Berkeley Harvey Smith, member of People's Park Historic District Advocacy Group; author of "Berkeley and the New Deal" Supriya Yelimeli, housing and homelessness reporter, Berkeleyside

"From a modern perspective," writes biographer Alec Nevala-Lee, Buckminster Fuller resembles "a Silicon Valley visionary who was born a half century too soon." But the relentlessly optimistic futurist, entrepreneur and geodesic dome pioneer was also a self-promoter who exaggerated his inventions and failed to credit his collaborators. We’ll talk to Nevala-Lee about Fuller’s scientific and cultural contributions and his complicated legacy. Guests: Alec Nevala-Lee, author, Inventor of the Future: The Visionary Life of Buckminster Fuller

During the pandemic, many people turned to shopping to adapt, cope or relieve stress. Now, some consumers are dealing with buyer’s remorse over items like air fryers, hot tubs, fancy exercise bikes, massive amounts of baking supplies or even new pets. While others have regrets over things they didn’t spend money on such as a home improvement project now that material and labor costs have soared. We talk with experts about why consumers make decisions they later wish they hadn’t and how to manage regret. And, we want to hear your stories of pandemic purchase regrets, write us an email or send a voice memo to forum@kqed.org. Guests: Jorge Barraza, professor of psychology, University of Southern California Aparna Labroo, professor of marketing and consumer psychologist, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

“This is it, the end of a story that started in Compton, California, with a little Black girl who just wanted to play tennis,” said Serena Williams in her retirement announcement in Vogue magazine. For nearly three decades, Williams has dominated and transformed the sport of tennis. Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 14 major championships in doubles with her sister, Venus, and four Olympic gold medals. Considered by many to be the GOAT, or greatest of all time, Williams has been an inspiration to a generation of tennis players, and her career has had special resonance for Black women, on and off the court. We’ll talk about her legacy and we want to hear from you: What has Serena Williams meant to you? Guests: Gerry Marzaroti, journalist, New Yorker Magazine; author, "Seeing Serena" Cecil Harris, veteran sports reporter; host, podcast docuseries "All-American: Venus & Serena"; author, "Different Strokes: Serena, Venus, and the Unfinished Black Tennis Revolution," and "Charging the Net: A History of Bl

It’s been a year since the United States’ chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, leaving the Taliban in full control of the country. Thousands of refugees fled the country in fear of the new regime, many ending up in the Bay Area, one of the largest Afghan communities in the US. In this hour, we’ll hear from local Afghans about how evacuees are dealing with challenges like the housing crisis and uncertainty over immigration status. We’ll also get an update on the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, which is facing widespread hunger and poverty and a Taliban crackdown on women’s rights. Guests: Joseph Azam, board chair, Afghan-American Foundation - non-partisan non-profit focused on advocating on behalf of Afghan American community Matthieu Aikins, author, "The Naked Don't Fear the Water: An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees;" contributing writer, the New York Times Magazine Zuhal Bahaduri, executive director and co-founder, The 5ive Pillars Organization

"My ideas about the Inland Empire have always been seeded with a prickly skepticism" writes Tyrone Beason in the latest installment of his L.A. Times series, "My Country." But as Beason immersed himself in the vast region, he discovered a bygone California of orange trees and wild burros that's drawing more and more people of color who are escaping expensive and predominantly white coastal cities. We'll talk to Beason about his journeys in the Inland Empire and how migration is reshaping the region racially, politically and culturally. Guests: Tyrone Beason, staff writer, Los Angeles Times - His recent piece for the Times is "In the vastness of the Inland Empire, people of color find ‘peace in these troubled times.’" Fatima Nelson, recent Inland Empire transplant; community engagement specialist, UC Riverside’s Center for Social Innovation.

Mexican singer Silvana Estrada and the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest have at least one thing in common: they both defy genre. The 25-year-old singer from the coastal Mexican state of Veracruz is now on tour promoting her latest album, “Marchita.” Estrada’s music is rooted in jazz, but spans a fusion of musical styles. The summer jazz fest takes a similar approach by making jazz the base, but layering in dozens of other styles such as blues and R&B, salsa, cumbia and folk music from around the world. Estrada is one of headliners who will perform at the 12-stage jazz festival this weekend. She joins us to preview the festival and to talk about how she both embraces and rejects musical traditions. Guests: Silvana Estrada, Mexican singer, will perform at the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2022 on Aug. 13. Betto Arcos, music journalist, curated the Latin Tropical Stage for the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2022. Brendan Rawson, executive director, San Jose Jazz.